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Final Chapter - A New Beginning

It's been nearly a year since the Battle of the Five Armies ended. Thorin had been preparing things for when his sister and his kin arrived from Ered Luin; which would be any day now. The king has also been traveling to Dale, attending meeting, discussion matters with Bard, Lord of Dale. Thorin remember when his grandfather ruled, Erebor and Dale had a strong alliance. He would see those days return. Maura was still making the odd trip to the city, still attending to those who had been affected in battle.

It was a warm summer morning. Thorin was walking along side Maura out the gate. The healer was on her way over to Dale, to attend to her few patients that still needed care. She leaned over and kissed her Dwarf on the cheek and told him she would be back in the evening. Maura was about to begin walking across the bridge when the king grabbed her hand, pulling her back towards him until their lips touched, his hand resting on the side of her growing belly and the woman smirked and pulled away.

"Thorin, I really should be going." She told him with a smile.

"What? Am I not allowed to kiss my wife before she goes off to save lives?" He teased, leaning down to kiss her lips once again and she giggled.

"Seriously. Must you keep my patients waiting?" Maura smirked, smacking his chest playfully. The Dwarf king nodded, not wishing to keep her from her duties any longer.

"I have a meeting later on this afternoon, to discuss things with Bard, but I was thinking after we could enjoy a nice evening walk." He suggested, waiting for her response.

"I would like that." Maura agreed. Thorin kissed her one last time and her hand slowly slid out of his and she began the walk across the bridge, making her way through the crowd of people going to and from Dale.

"Brother?" Thorin turned at the sound of the familiar voice. He did a quick glance at Maura, who was still making her way through the crowd and then back at the Dwarf woman. Realizing she must of saw them.

"Dis. You made it." Thorin said hugging his little sister.

"Who was that?" Dis asked, turning back to the crowd, searching for the young woman who was being affectionate with her brother.

"Oh, that was Maura. She's my wife." Thorin told her, and Dis looked at him with wide eyes.

"Wife? When did this happen?"

"5 months ago." Thorin replied, still watching his sister take all this in.

"And I see she's going to be a first time mother as well." she added.

Thorin smiled proudly at that. " A mother yes, but it's not her first time"

"Oh? Are you trying to tell me I already have a nephew or niece running around here?"

The king shook his head. "Dis, why don't we go inside. I'm sure you must be exhausted from you're long journey." The Dwarf woman nodded and the two Durin's went inside. Thorin led his sister to a more private room where they could talk and sit down. " You're journey with our people was good I take it? Nothing went wrong?"

"No everything was good." She replied back. Thorin muttered something under his breath too quiet for his sister to hear and nodded his head at the same time.

"By the way. How did you know she was going to be a mother? We haven't even told the others yet. Only Oin knows."

"Thorin, I am a mother of two boys. It's a lot more easier for me to spot the signs." Dis declared. "You said: this wasn't her first time becoming a mother. What did you mean by that?"

"Before I met Maura, she was married and had a son." Thorin began.

"What happened to them?"

"They were killed by a warg pack on the road. " Dis felt a sting in her eyes, at the painful memory of the loss of her husband to a similar event, though the only difference was, she still had her sons.